There's two kinds of direct-to-video product: theatrical movies that sat on a shelf before being pooped out onto video to avoid massive losses, and movies made to be direct-to-video. It's uncommon for the latter to appear on recommendation lists, and often there's good reason, but some transcend their supposed limitations and become classics in the field. For my money, Philip Cook's Invader is not only my favorite DTV sci-fi flick, it might be my favorite move ever made to premiere on video. It's fast-paced, wickedly funny and very smart, featuring impressive special effects and good performances all around. After I tell you all of this in more detail it may be time for you to dust off your VCR and give this one a go-round. (Don't expect the guys on the poster to show up, though; they're not in the movie).
Frank McCall (Hans Bachmann) is an ace reporter at the National Scandal, an Enquirer-styled rag that specializes in flying saucer and mutant baby fare. He stumbles across a bizarre multiple homicide scene where soldiers were fried to a crisp while on a routine bus ride. He is met by Capt. Harry Anders (A. Thomas Smith) of the Department of Defense, and Col. Faraday (Rick Foucheux) who operates the Air Force base the murdered men were stationed. The incident couldn't come at a worse time, as Faraday is unveiling a new fighter jet at a show that night, which McCall sneaks in to. During the test flight, the autopilot switches from normal flight mode to attack mode, and eventually crashes, killing the pilot. As people scramble, McCall gets whisked to a back room by robotic men in sunglasses, who strap him into a chair with the intention of injecting a green glowing liquid into him. They're stopped by Anders, and the three men convene to hear the truth: the ship's onboard computer, A.S.M.O.D.S (Asmodeus), was recovered from a crashed alien vessel, and now has grown a mind of its own, taking over the base's men and working tirelessly on a sinister plot to take over America's defense systems for a hilariously unwise ambition.
While this may seem a bit boil-in-the-bag in its setup, Invader is far more intelligent, funny and accomplished than the majority of its peers. The dialogue is hilarious, containing some of the best one-liners I've heard in a DTV flick ("Why is it that every time somebody tries to photograph something spectacular it's with a shitty camera?!"). The odd couple of the snarky, disobedient McCall and the no-nonsense, bureaucratic Anders is a joy to behold, with both actors nailing the parts and making the film's glue. While the concept of an alien ship gone rogue isn't new, the payoff is, and the film transforms from routine sci-fi popcorn-muncher to freewheeling satire on military excess and unchecked nationalism. It's one of the few movies I know of that exposes the bureaucratic red-tape of the military, making it a surprisingly comedic environment. The special effects are excellent for a low-budget movie like this, featuring some impressive stop-motion and some of the most vast and detailed models I've seen since Total Recall. WARNING: the DVD special edition decided that the accomplished practical effects of the original release weren't good enough for the 21st century and revamped the film Lucas-style with hideous CGI monstrosities that would cause Douglas Trumbull to dig himself a grave and roll in it. Let's pray for a re-release of the original, at the very least for the legacy of practical effects.
Either way you see it, Invader is a wild ride, full of laughs, action and satire, a shining beacon for B-moviedom. If you're going to make something entertaining this is how you do it, and the flick far outshines its DTV limitations (or assets, depending on how you're counting it). This is the kind of movie that Saturday nights were invented for, so get out the VCR, snag a copy and get to watching. If you're disappointed you may as well be shuttled off to Asmodeus for "retraining".
~PNK
While this may seem a bit boil-in-the-bag in its setup, Invader is far more intelligent, funny and accomplished than the majority of its peers. The dialogue is hilarious, containing some of the best one-liners I've heard in a DTV flick ("Why is it that every time somebody tries to photograph something spectacular it's with a shitty camera?!"). The odd couple of the snarky, disobedient McCall and the no-nonsense, bureaucratic Anders is a joy to behold, with both actors nailing the parts and making the film's glue. While the concept of an alien ship gone rogue isn't new, the payoff is, and the film transforms from routine sci-fi popcorn-muncher to freewheeling satire on military excess and unchecked nationalism. It's one of the few movies I know of that exposes the bureaucratic red-tape of the military, making it a surprisingly comedic environment. The special effects are excellent for a low-budget movie like this, featuring some impressive stop-motion and some of the most vast and detailed models I've seen since Total Recall. WARNING: the DVD special edition decided that the accomplished practical effects of the original release weren't good enough for the 21st century and revamped the film Lucas-style with hideous CGI monstrosities that would cause Douglas Trumbull to dig himself a grave and roll in it. Let's pray for a re-release of the original, at the very least for the legacy of practical effects.
Either way you see it, Invader is a wild ride, full of laughs, action and satire, a shining beacon for B-moviedom. If you're going to make something entertaining this is how you do it, and the flick far outshines its DTV limitations (or assets, depending on how you're counting it). This is the kind of movie that Saturday nights were invented for, so get out the VCR, snag a copy and get to watching. If you're disappointed you may as well be shuttled off to Asmodeus for "retraining".
(Ignore the CGI!)
~PNK
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